Piercing and stapling machine



Jan. 12, 1932. T. E. JONES 1,840,586

PIERCING AND STAPLING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1930 Patented Jan. 12, 1932 warren stares PATENT OFFICE TONE E. JONES, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE E. H.

HOTCHKISS COMPANSQOF NORWALK, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTI- JPIERCING AND STAPLING MACHINE Application filed June 28,

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in stapling machines and relates particularly to such machines designed for stapling together the flap and body of an Litenvelope or bag, or stapling anything to be placed on display such for example as attaching tags to articles and punching them so they may be supported by a hook wire or the like.

The present invention seeks to provide a stapling machine particularly adapted for securing closed the flaps of envelopes or small bags or the like containing nuts, candies and similar articles. It is customary to seal or secure closed such envelopes or bags and then string a number of them on a wire or rod, or to place a number of them on a large card, whereby to display them for sale.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine for piercing envelopes, bags, price tags or the like, simultaneously with the stapling of such envelopes or bags closed, or the stapling of the price tags to a piece of merchandise, the envelopes, price tags or the like being preferably pierced in the vicinity of the staple.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyinging drawings showing one embodiment of' the invention. It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the details shown and described and that changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings: a

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a complete stapling machine embodying my invention, parts being broken away to more clearly illustrate details of construction;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view on an enlarged scale of the lower portion of the front or operating portion showing the same in the act of stapling closed the flap of an envelope and piercing the same;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view on an enlarged scale of the front portion of the base, the plane .1930. Serial No. 464,445.

of view being substantially on the line 33 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of an envelope, the same having been stapled and pierced by the improved machine.

For the purpose of making clear the invention, one type of stapling machine is completely disclosed. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to a stapling machine as disclosed and adapted to operate with wire staples since the invention is equally applicable to machines of different constructions and designed to accommodate other types of staples.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, at 5 is shown the base of a stapling machine, and the base includes upturned ears 6 between which is pivotally mounted a housing 11 including a guide bar 7, as by means of a pivot screw 8. As shown the guide bar 7 projects outwardly over the base 5 and provides convenient means for pivoting the housing to the base. Means are provided, in the form of a coil spring 9, for normally maintaining the housing and bar 7 slightly inclined whereby to disposeits forward or free end spaced above the base. The guide bar 7 receives a staple strip 10, and guides it within the housing 11 to bringthe individual staples successively under a vertically slidable plunger 13 to be driven thereby.

The staple strip 10 is fed along the guide bar 7 by any well known or desired means and the operation of the machine is such that on the plunger 13 being depressed the most forward staple will be forced downward by the plunger. Plunger 13 includes a head or hand portion 14 and is normally maintained in elevated position by a coil spring 15. With this type of stapling machine, it is usual to utilize a flat spring 16 which operates to pre vent a staple from dropping out of the machine should the staple be broken loose from the strip and not used, as by the plunger being given but a slight downward movement.

The base 5, at its end remote from the ears 6 and beneath the plunger 13, is provided with an anvil 17 having staple clinching depresslons 18 in its upper surface. When paper or other matter to be stapled together is disposed on the anvil and the plunger 13 depressed, it will force the prongs of a staple through the guide-way 19 and through the paper, the ends of the staple or prongs being turned over or clinched by engagement with the bottom walls of the depressions 18, these bottom walls being inclined or curved for this purpose.

According to. the present invention means are provided for piercing or punching an opening at the time of stapling. Such an arrangement as before suggested is useful when stapling or closing bags or envelopes 20, (Fig. l). As shown the bag 20 has its flap 21 securely closed as by a staple 22 and just above the staple the bag is perforated at 23 whereby it may be strung on a wire or the like or secured over a hook for display.

To provide for the piercing or punching operation, a die 24 is formed in the anvil 17 and the guide bar 7 is provided with a depression 25 in which is disposed a punch 26 for co-operating with the die- 24. As shown the die 24 and punch 26 are so disposed that they are in the rear of the plunger 13. Therefore, when stapling the envelope 20, it is inserted into the machine as shown in Fig. 2 with the folded edge of the flap at or projecting beyond the rear edge of the anvil. Now, when the plunger 13 is operated the flap of the envelope will be stapled closed and the envelope will be perforated or punched by the punch plunger 26 which is forced through the flap and envelope by downward movement of the housing and guide bar 7 about pivot 8 incident to the stapling operation. Thus, no separate operation is required for punching, but operation of the stapling device also operates the punching device. The opening is punched by cooperation of punch 26 with die opening 24 in the anvil 17, the pieces punched out passing down through the passage 29 below the die opening 24. The punch 26 may be a forced fit in opening or socket 25 so it can be mounted by merely forcing it into the socket.

As machines of this type become worn through use the movable portion including the guide bar 7 may come to have a certain amount of lateral movement due to wear about the pivot 8. This movement is particularly undesirable in connection with the combined stapling and piercing machine and means are provided to prevent it. Such means as shown includes a depression 27 in the guide bar 7 and a guide pin 28 projecting upwardly from the base 5 in a position to cooperate with the depression 27 and have a sliding fit therein. Of course, it will be understood, that the pin may be carried by the guide bar and the depression provided in the base. The free end 30 of the pin is rounded so it will readily enter the depression 27. The pin 28 and depression 27 coact to mainchine and one wherein the object beingstapled is automatically pierced or perfo rated as it is stapled. That is, the piercing or punching operation is performed by the act of operating the stapling mechanism. Further, itwill be seen that the machine may be practically continuously operated as the punch and die will need no attention, the

die being open through the bottom of the base whereby the pieces cut out of the bags will pass on through and not clog the die. Therefore, with the exception that the supply of staples must be renewed from time to time the machine will require no attention on the part of the operator.

In addition to the foregoing it will be understood that since the piercing means is in the rear of the stapling means the latter may be used without the former when it is desired to staple without piercing.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a piercing and stapling machine, a base, a housing including a guide for a staple strip, said housing pivoted adjacent one end of the base and disposed overthe base, and an anvil at the other end of the base, a plunger adjacent the free end of the housing, a die in the base, and a piercing punch in the housing to cooperate with the die and pierce an object as the housing is moved downwardly in the stapling operation.

2. In a piercing and stapling machine, a base, a housing including a guide for a staple strip, said housing pivoted at one end to an end of the base and disposed over the base, an anvil at the other end of the base, a plunger at the free end of the housing and above the anvil, a die in the base, a piercing punch in the housing to co-operate with the die and pierce an object as the housing is moved downwardly by the plunger in the stapling operation, and a pin and socket, one on the base and the other on the housing whereby to prevent lateral movement of the housing as itdescends.

3. In a piercing and stapling machine, a base, a guide bar for a staple strip, said guide bar pivotally mounted adjacent one end to one end portion of the base and projecting over thebase, an anvil at the other end of the base, a plunger at the free end of the guide bar for moving staples towards the anvil, a housing enclosing the guide bar and plunger, a spring normally maintaining the guide bar with its free end disposed above the anvil, a die in the anvil, and a piercing punch in the lower side bar adjacent its free end and disposed in alignment With the die, whereby as the guide bar moves about its pivot and toward the base on actuation. of the plunger in a stapling operation, the punch will pierce the object being stapled,

4. ln a stapling machine, a base and a housing; connected for relative movement toward and from each other, an anvil mounted on the base, a movable plunger in the housing" for operating with the anvil to set a. staple, means in the housing for feeding staples in succession to the plunger, and cooperating; punch and die carried by the base and housing adjacent the staple setting means and operated by relative movement of the housing and base.

5. In a stapling machine, a base member, housing member pivoted to the base membe cooperating means carried by said meme s "for setting a staple in an object, means in t e housing for feeding staples to said cooperat ing means, and cooperating means carried by said members operable by relative movement of the housing and base to punch a hole in aid object,

ln a stapling machine, a base member, musing pivoted to the base, a movable plunger in the housing, means for feeding fa les to said plunger, means on the base to cooperate with the plunger to set a staple in an object, and cooperating means carried by the base and housing operable by relative movement between the housing and base to punch a hole in the object adjacent said.

"Z. In a stapling machine,a base, a housing pivoted to the base, a movable plunger in the housing", means in the housing for feeding staples to the plunger, an anvil on the base to cooperate with the plunger to set a staple in an object, cooperating punch and die means carried by the housing and base operable on relative movement between them to punch a hole in said object, and a pin and socket guide means of Which one is on the base and the other on the housing to prevent lateral movement of the housing as it is moved downwardly about its pivot during the stapling operation.

8. In a stapling machine, a base, a housing pivoted to the base, a movable plunger in the housing. means in the housing for feeding staples to the plunger, an anvil on the base to cooperate with the plunger to set a staple in an object, cooperating punch and die means carried by the housing and base operable on relative movement between them to punch a hole in said object, and cooperating guide means on the housing and base to prevent lateral movement of the housing as it is moved downward about its pivot during a stapling operation.

ln testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

TQM E. JONES, 

